Red Arrows — Inate Rouge, CAF Confederation Cup

Red Arrows beat Inat Rouge 2:0 in the first preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup on Friday. The hosts secured their passage without too much trouble, though the performance lacked the sharpness of their earlier fixtures. To be fair, not every match demands a masterclass — sometimes you just need to take your chances when they come. The opening goal arrived in the thirty-ninth minute through E. Mandanji, who found space in the box and finished clinically. Red Arrows had been scoring regularly in their recent run, and this was another example of that consistency. And here's the thing: they didn't rush into it. The build-up was patient, the delivery precise. A second goal followed in the fifty-seventh minute, this time from A. Diarra. By then, Inat Rouge had already begun to unravel, and the gap felt insurmountable. The visitors never really got into the game, and Red Arrows were running out of games to lose. Things came to a head when Diarra latched onto a loose ball and slot it home. There were no cards, no dramatic exchanges — just two goals and a comfortable evening for the home side. Red Arrows had the game won inside twenty minutes of the second half, and they saw out the remainder without incident. The result extends their unbeaten run, though the earlier 0:1 loss to Muttondo Stars remains a reminder that form can shift. This win moves Red Arrows further ahead in the preliminary stages, and they fancy their chances of progressing. Inat Rouge will need to regroup quickly if they are to overturn the deficit. For now, the hosts have done enough to keep their hopes alive.